West Point to hold MLK march through town with program at the end

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – Organizers of the West Point Martin Luther King Day celebration still plan to host an event this year – just in a different way. The event usually features a march through town that ends with a program. Event coordinator Anna Jones says, because of COVID restrictions, this year they will have a motorcade. They will…

Investigators trying to determine cause of Lowndes County house fire

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Investigators are trying to determine what caused a house fire in Lowndes County overnight. Family members called 911 when they discovered the fire in their home on Honnoll Mill Road. Lowndes County Fire Coordinator Neil Austin says crews from the District 1 fire department responded around 3 o’clock this morning. When they got there, the…

U.S. Postal Inspection Service released artist sketch of Vaiden robbery suspect

VAIDEN, Miss. (WCBI) – Investigators with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service release an artist’s sketch of the suspect in the Vaiden Post Office Robbery. The PIS is offering a reward of up to 50 thousand dollars for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who committed that robbery. The Vaiden Post Office was robbed Saturday morning around…

University of Mississippi Medical Center: Overwhelming Omicron surge creates unprecedented staff shortages

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – The University of Mississippi Medical Center says the COVID-19 Omicron surge is redefining what “unprecedented” means when it comes to staff shortages. Tuesday, UMMC released their latest hospitalization numbers, saying they currently have 125 COVID patients as of 8 p.m. In December, they say they only had 18 COVID patients. Before the pandemic, UMMC says they…

Calhoun County company brings high speed internet to more rural areas of Pontotoc County

Bruce Telephone's "We Connect" is making high speed fiber available to more than six hundred homes

PONTOTOC COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – High-speed internet is now available to people in the more rural areas of Pontotoc County. Scott Foster had high-speed internet installed at “Seafood Junction” in Algoma about a week ago, and says it is already making a big difference. “We’ve started offering online orders, to-go ordering, people can go online, pay for meal online, show…

Man arrested for allegedly threatening to ambush and rape female real estate agents in multiple Mississippi counties

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department announced Tuesday that a man wanted for allegedly threatening to ambush and rape female real estate agents in several counties across Mississippi, is in their custody. Convicted sex offender Frank Mainka of Scott County has a long history of cyberstalking dating back to 2007. But it was during the first week…

Columbus Municipal Schools are keeping safety protocols in place

Many schools are back or heading back in session after winter break

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Many schools are back or heading back in session after winter break. Some districts have been flexible with their COVID-19 precautions, while others haven’t changed theirs since the initial guidelines. Dr. Cherie Labat, superintendent at Columbus Municipal School District,  said that her school district from top to bottom are keeping COVID-19 safety measures in place to try…

Longtime Columbus City Councilman, Fred Stewart, has died

  COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A longtime Columbus City Councilman has died. Fred Stewart passed away early Tuesday morning. Stewart represented the people of Ward 4 on the City Council. He was elected for 5 terms, and only narrowly lost the 6th bid to then political newcomer Marty Turner in 2013. Stewart was known as a calm and steady presence…

Truck overturned in Oktibbeha County on Tuesday morning

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A big rig ended up on its side after the driver ran off the road in Oktibbeha County this morning. The accident happened around 8:30 on Highway 12 – four miles west of Starkville. The highway was blocked for a couple of hours as crews cleaned up from the accident. The driver of the truck was…

Bridge in Starkville open after three weeks of being closed

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – After more than three months of repair work, a bridge in Starkville is reopening to traffic. The bridge on Old West Point Road was closed last July to begin the process of removing and replacing it. The construction phase started in September. Crews are using the next few days to put on the finishing touches. The…

MSDH reporting over 5,700 new COVID-19 cases

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – The latest COVID Wave in Mississippi is beginning to look like a tsunami. The Mississippi State Department of Health is reporting over 5,700 new cases today. That brings the total of reported cases since Friday up to just over 22,000. To put that into perspective, that is about twice the population of the city of West…

Assistant District Attorney latest to qualify for judicial race

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – An Assistant District Attorney and West Point native is the latest person to qualify for the judicial race in the 16th District Circuit Court. Trina Davidson-Brooks announces her candidacy today in West Point. Davidson-Brooks is a graduate of Mississippi University for Women and Mississippi College School of LAw. She served as City Prosecutor in her…

Louisville Police arrest an accused trailer thief in Winston County

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Louisville Police arrest an accused trailer thief in Winston County. 25-year-old Justin McDonald ran from deputies last week after being searched around Highway 25 and Jake’s Junkyard. Chief Deputy Keith Alexander says McDonald ran just before he was put in handcuffs. Some of the stolen trailers from K&W auto and appliance have been recovered. McDonald…

Columbus City Hall closed due to a case of COVID-19

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – If you have to do business at Columbus City Hall, it will have to wait until at least next week. City leaders have closed the building to the public because of a case of COVID. Mayor Keith Gaskin made the announcement Tuesday morning. Gaskin says city employees who work in the building will continue their normal…

McDonald’s manager shot former employee in the leg

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – An altercation between a manager and his former employee at a Starkville McDonald’s ends in gunfire. 41-year-old Kevan Lawrence is charged with aggravated assault. The shooting happened Monday night around 9 o’clock at the restaurant on Highway 12 West. Police say, Lawrence, the manager of that location, shot a former employee during a disturbance at the…

Multiple bank robberies have law enforcement executing their protocol

It's been a busy few days for some local law enforcement agencies after three bank robberies

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s been a busy few days for some local law enforcement agencies after three bank robberies in a span of four days. The Trustmark Bank is the third bank in North Mississippi to be robbed since Friday. West Point and Columbus Police Departments were able to quickly capture suspects, and the chiefs that I talked to…

Aberdeen school district returns to virtual learning model

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Only a week after the holiday season, and the Aberdeen School District is sending students back home. This decision comes after a high number of positive COVID-19 cases were reported. District leaders tell me as case numbers rise, so does the risk of transferring the virus. Aberdeen school campuses will be virtual at least through January…

Restaurants prepare for one of the biggest games in the NCAA

Starkville, Miss. (WCBI)- Big screens and big gatherings with friends and family. That’s what restaurant owners are planning for Monday night as Alabama and Georgia face off in the College Football National Championship game. Restaurant owners say they have their gameplans in place, and they are ready to catch whatever is tossed their way. Stagger-In in Starkville is one of…

United way taking donations for victims of apartment fire

COLUMBUS,Miss. (WCBI)- The United Way is helping the tenants who lost their homes in an apartment fire last week in Columbus. Six families got out of the Chanticleer Apartment complex with just the clothes on the backs. The fire broke out before dawn last Thursday. The United Way is collecting clothing, toiletries, and money to help cover prescription medicines. The…

Local agencies celebrate national law enforcement appreciation day

Across the country officers are being recognized for their dedication to serve and protect

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI)- Across the country officers are being recognized for their dedication to serve and protect. It’s National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, and the West Point Police Department is being recognized for their never-ending sacrifice. “When we call them; they come right away and investigate whatever and I’ve seen like a difference in it seems like they’re more…

Mom To Mom: Cake

January 8, 2022

If you’re on a time crunch and still need to feed your family a snack, Mandy has a recipe for you. Categories: Featured, lifestyle Tags: mom